Progress!

Albeit slow progress... The first photo above is the Breastcollar I've been working on for Alicia Vogel. It's 3/4ths of the way finished. It's just missing it's cool silver center piece. The only actual beads on the breastcollar are the silver "Disco"beads. The red knots are actually spanish ring knots and the blue and white knots are interwoven turks head knots.

The second picture shows my North American Model Horse Nationals Auction Donation in progress. I broke one of the bit shanks from messing with it too much (metal Fatigue) The precious "Dremel Time" that my husband was nice enough to work out with me today was spent making another bit shank. I still need to add "Faux" bit pieces to them as well but that is just a matter of time.

The blue and white braid pattern is a bit of a departure from the Traditional and "usual" headstall look. This bridle is something that Susan and I are putting together based on our experience braiding and researching bridles I figured that it would be nice to change it up a bit. There will be some solid braided pieces to give the eye a "rest" so that it's not so jarring. This is only the second time I've ever built a headstall entirely out of tatting thread. Normally I use artifical rawhide as a base and do the buttons using the thread. I was really worried that I had made a mistake at first but I've managed to somehow, and so far, to get the thread to work. Now my only problem is that I'm running out of the blue that Susan sent me so I'll have to go to Joann's Fabric to hunt up some more. Thankfully Susan was smart enough to choose a color that shouldn't be hard to find. (not surprising, that Sue is a smart cookie!)

My challenges over the past couple of weeks have been that I've been really really tired, and that my Husband has contracted Strep Throat this past week. I don't think that I have strep throat, I think that I just get up too early and I don't sleep deeply enough. I'm going to try harder to get to bed on time for the next few weeks so that I'll have enough energy to work in the studio and get everything I need to get done.. Done!

Hubby is on the mend now though after a trip to the drs and some anitbiotics. We're watching our son very closely to see if he has it. He's been extra tired today but that could be from getting up too early. We're hoping against hope that he side steps the strep throat because my husband has been very very ill.

I hope that you all are having a great spring and I'll blather at you again soon!